The Inside Scoop on Cake Pops

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Posted by Erin V., associate product manager

Did you believe confectionary elves were behind our newest delectable treat, the Cake Pop? Well, Chris C. is the lead product developer on Starbucks Petites, and while he’s no confectionary elf, he did an amazing job here. I chatted with him about our latest treat to get the inside scoop on how it made it from his mind to your mouth.

Question: Why Cake Pops?Answer: A Cake Pop solves the ever lasting question of how to make cake portable – it’s whimsical, fun and delicious cake on a stick. What’s not to like? This has been an emerging trend popping up in specialty bake shops, on blogs like Bakerella and even touted by Martha Stewart. Because cake pops require a very gentle, handmade process to roll, dip and decorate, they prove very difficult to make on a large scale. I have to credit Lisa B., our food R&D manger, for championing this idea. Between our bakery partner, Lisa, and myself, we were able to create a high-quality experience. Everyone can now eat cake on the go!

Question: I confess, I tried to make a Cake Pop and it slid off the stick. Any secrets to get the pop to stay put?Answer: Oh boy! This was a significant problem early on. We spent months trying to stabilize the cake. At one point we thought of using a two-pronged stick to pierce the pop in place or adding a basket holder for stabilization. Ultimately, reducing the size just slightly and double-dipping the stick in chocolate solved the problem. I must admit, the night before launch I could hardly sleep with visions of Cake Pops falling into coffee cups as people tried our new treat. I’m now sleeping much better.

Question: So they’re all under 200 calories, which is amazing, but how many did you have to eat to make the perfect Cake Pop?Answer: Six thousand, three hundred and ninety-five. Not really. But I ate quite a few!